Saturday, April 10, 2010

I've finished the Green sweater! Yes, well finished enough to wear, and wear it I did, out to a local knitting celebration, and then today I blocked. Oh there are still buttons and button loops or alternatives to sort .. but its done enough to wear. So today there I've got photos, and a new project launches. Like all my new projects launch seems like the wrong word .. for there was a wee bit of to-ing and fro-ing and indecision and back tracking before the project could be said to be underway.But first the Green Sweater, Friday Bear and I had a mini road trip up to Waimate to collect the cubs and bring them home. I knitted all the way up, and we spent the afternoon catching up with my Dad and drinking tea, and in my case knitting. I cast off the i-cord boarder around the second sleeve cuff before we headed home but had to wait until I was at home to weave in that last end. Saturday Morag of Vintage Purls hosted a wee gathering for local knitters to celebrate her 2nd anniversary as a Indi-sock artist/knit business. I wore my green sweater ... which was noticed, and cast on for my next project. I also was told during the week that for now there is no more of this green singles yarn, the kind the original sweater was knit in - which makes mine feel even more special. T asked if I felt like I was 'channeling EZ as I knit' and I had to say that as I knit I did feel like I could see her thought processes ... it is a cleverly shaped sweater.Being a knitter who sometimes takes the path of interest rather than the one that is most sensible .. I went ahead and cast on for a colourwork sock. That is right, I have Toby's Turkish sock on the needles (colourwork), and I was at an event that was serving wine and I cast on for another colour work sock project. Not only that but I brought the yarn all skeined up into four 50g cakes, two petrol blue and two pale pink, and two sets of circular needles and I cast on and worked the toes for Nightinngale. Nightingale came with a deeper hue of purple yarn .... but I was inspired by PSTATqueen's version in intense pink(here is a non rav link for non members). So I cast on first one toe and worked that and then the other toe, I like the idea of two at once, but I'll keep em on seperate needles and work them in sections, first one then the other. And yes ... that is a project bag with knitting chickens,I liked the way the petrol blue background yarn went with the pale pink ... but realised in the natural dayligh of sunday morning that the contrast was probably to much. The delicate pink with hints of purple and lilac and rose appeared mostly white next to the petrol blue.

Today I sat down with my stash drawer and selected two yarns that I thought would make for a stronger contrast, the deep rose is I think from another sock club ... but it looked promising, I put it against a navy that I had tried and failed to use in at least two previous socks.

There is a new yarn in my stash, a celebration skein, a purple dyed to tone/match the Vintage Purls font colour, and the more I fondled that yarn,the more I realized it would be a good contrast for this sock.So this is where I'm at mid Sunday afternoon, I've frogged the first toes, and set about knitting beyond the toe. So far I've just completed one toe, and I'm happy with the two yarns together, the blue is lighter (just) and the contrast darker (just) than my first choices.

and I am liking the way the two shades play together ....Today has been 'one-out-of-the-box', a quaint old fashioned expression that means perfect, warm, sunny, with hardly any wind. Baking was done, Pavolva made (Bear had a birthday during the week), sweaters blocked ... and washing on the line. It is now late Sunday afternoon and the sky is clouding over and there is a distinct chill to the air, rain appears close .. so I'm off to save the blocking sweater and the dry washing on the line.Take care - hope the week runs well for you ....Stella

I LOVE the Green Sweater - you've done a wonderful job of it! I'm sure that EZ would have been proud of you!

The new socks - I really love Morag's originals but, wow!, I also like the version you linked to. I think you were right to re-think your start, though. Too much contrast is not always a good thing. I really liked the deep rose/navy (I've always had a "thing" about that combo!) but the final colours you've decided to go with should be really gorgeous! And your 'Chicken Run' project bag? Too cool! Probably my favourite cartoon film. :-)

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Me

I knit, there is more, I spin too, make books, and play with ink printing, and I work, and have a family. There are two knitting groups, one spinning group and I love process ...on Ravelry I'm Knitfrogknit. Sometimes I get to teach knitting things. Lately there has been a growing interest in in vintage fountain pens, inks, and old fashioned pencils ... truly I am a geek in these things.

On my book shelf

Fish count : 144 + 13

I'm knitting Knitting Arrows Fish blanket, my version is on show @ Ravelry, here, along with many many others.So I have 144 sewn together and 13 ready to add, making a total of .... 157 small fish.I'm using up the left over yarn sock yarn, and started this in January 2007. It is a slow-food project, aimed at a long term outcome, not a quick weekend knit.